Skip to Content

The Early Entry Deadline is November 8th, 2024   ENTER NOW

Juror Spotlight

Kimberly Howard-Thomassen

EVP, Creative Director,
The Thomas Collective

AIVA Juror Kimberly Howard-Thomassen is the EVP, Creative Director at The Thomas Collective where she gives brands a unique voice to drive recognition and sale. Spending over 15 years working in advertising and public relations, Howard-Thomassen believes it is a brand’s human value that creates the most meaningful story to drive growth.

Since joining TTC, Howard-Thomassen built the agency’s Visual Communications and Digital departments, oversaw the global trade relaunch of the Chivas Regal portfolio, lead creative development for Culturelle Probiotic’s partnership with Jessica Alba and created a 360-degree digital CSR campaign for Malibu Rum.

Howard-Thomassen has been honored with awards from the The Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, American Design Association, Effie, Communication Arts, the American Advertising Federation, Digiday, Telly, Hermes, PR Week and the Public Relations Society of America.

What was your first job?
My first ever job was working in a bagel shop. And while I didn’t know it then, working in the service industry at 16 helped prepare me for all my future positions. Learning important skills like customer service, time management, communication and even creative problem solving.

What’s your dream project?
We’ve done quite a bit of work with clean and sustainable brands, but I want to do more. That’s where my passions are. Combining an authentic sustainability message with an industry I love like food and bev. So canned water like Mananalu *hint, hint* if anyone from Mananalu is reading this.

What was the biggest pivot you had to make when working on a project?
This happened recently. We pitched a super disruptive TVC idea. The client loved it, it passed the client’s legal, it launched and then we received legal notice from our client’s competitor. So we had to go back through everything we developed to make modifications that would pass the new legal muster, but not dilute the message. And I’d say we succeeded because it became an award winning case study for us, even with the pivot.

What has been the biggest change in office culture since you started your career?
Remote flexibility 100%, and I don’t know if that would have come about the way it is now without COVID. I think the fact that COVID necessitated a WFH policy, also created greater trust between employers and employees. It showed the work can get done and done well, even if everyone is out of sight.

Do you have any brainstorming rituals?
This might be odd, but commuting. If I need to do some deep thinking, I try to do it on a long subway ride. I don’t know what it is about those subway seats, but they always pull ideas out of me.

As you know, we’re excited to celebrate 30 years at The Communicator Awards. What was the most memorable ad campaign from the 90s?
Obviously Got Milk. It had so much possibility, opportunity for star power, and a simple and memorable tag. It was so iconic, it’s still being replicated today—30+ years later. I was driving on the NJ turnpike last week, and there was a law firm billboard ripping it off.

What categories are you looking forward to reviewing for the Communicator Awards?
I love the innovation categories. I love seeing how people are using new and different technologies to create great work. It’s a very inspiring category to judge. I love thinking, I wish I thought of that! 

Get the Newsletter